The Sole Defender of Earth
by BeneathThisMask
Summary: Years have passed since Trunks vanquished the monstrosities unleashed on the future by Dr. Gero. Now, in this new, peaceful world, Trunks may find that the biggest challenge before him is fitting in. Join Trunks as he experiences the evils of Majin Buu, Beerus the Destroyer, and the revived Freeza as he balances the need for companionship with his duty as Earth's lone defender.
1. Back to the Future

**A/N: This chapter may contain language that might be triggering for some, especially near the end. I usually wouldn't include these warning, but I'm doing it just this once. You've been warned.**

* * *

"Come on out, Cell... I know you're here!"

"Huh?!"

"You're so lame, sneaking around like the boogeyman. What's your plan, Cell? To kill me and take my time machine to the past? You're having trouble finding the Androids, huh? I bet you just _long_ to absorb them!"

"What?! How do _you_ know all this?"

"I read your palm, big guy. You have a short lifeline."

It had been much too long since Trunks had felt this kind of confidence. The last time he had seen the green, insectoid android, he had been rendered completely powerless to the point of death before its might. But this Cell was different. Lacking the overwhelming power of its perfect form, Cell's power level was laughable compared to Trunks', and the demi-Saiyan knew it. Cell had another fatal flaw. The android was composed of Saiyan genes and so Trunks' taunting forced it into a predictable reaction. The giant bug slowly slithered out of the shadows and into plain sight. It bristled and snarled under the sting of Trunks' words.

"So, you're a joker, huh?" the android hissed. "Well, I don't like your jokes! I subscribe to a different kind of amusement than you Earthlings!"

"Yeah, I know how you get your kicks, Cell. But it's not going to happen anymore and I'm going to see to that."

"You've gone back already! Yes, you've learned about me in the past!"

"That's right, but there wasn't much to learn. You need to absorb a couple of androids... Well, not in this time. I've already made sure of that!"

For the first time, Cell's smug confidence collapsed. The android's confidence seemed to shatter the instant it realized what had happened to its prey, but, unsurprisingly to the young Saiyan, its shock quickly transformed into another smug grin, which spread across its beak.

"Huh?! You did?! No way! That's not possible!" Cell barked. "Wait... I see. You're bluffing, aren't you? Your data makes _that_ clear. That's right, Trunks! I know a lot more about you than you know about me." The android jabbed its index finger at Trunks and wagged it authoritatively. "You fool! How dare you! You're a peon compared to me! Yes, the data shows that you're no match for the Androids and you're certainly not a match me!"

Trunks had to resist the urge erupt with laughter. It was as though Cell was completely ignoring the chi that was clearly exuded from Trunks' body. It was either that, or the bug-like android was simply in denial. Trunks couldn't decide which scenario was the most amusing.

"Oh, yeah? Well, see, I just destroyed both of the Androids."

Cell's wall of smug confidence came crashing down along with his arrogant demeanor.

"I knew it!" it declared. "I've been searching this whole time, but I knew it!" Cell let out a sharp, guttural snarl and clenched its fists. "You! Do you realize what you've done?! Idiot! I have no further use here! My babies... they're gone! I can't believe it!"

Cell became still and quiet, as if an idea had suddenly washed over him. Slowly but surely, Trunks saw what must have been the closest thing to confidence return to the android's insect-like face. It's wide, slitted eyes raised until it met Trunk's gaze. Then Trunks saw it smile again.

"But it doesn't matter, does it Trunks? No, it's fine! I'll just take a little trip to the past! You've given me the tool that I need to complete my evolution!"

"I haven't given you anything, but I'll tell you what. If you can get by me, then you can get to the past." Trunks did not give the menacing android time enough to respond. He raised both of his palms and opened them towards Cell. "I'm not going to let you, good-bye!"

With a mighty shout, Trunks channeled his chi into the air around him and produced a tremendous burst of air pressure that slammed into the android and sent it soaring into the sky above. In that same instance, Trunks flared his clear aura of energy and launched himself after Cell. His entire life had culminated in this moment. With the newfound power he had harnessed with the help of his father and Goku, he had vanquished the Androids and humanity had begun to rebuild. Since then, he had been training in the hopes of maintaining his power so that, when Cell finally reared its ugly head, he could destroy it too and finally bring peace and stability to his future.

The young Saiyan was somewhat amused by the sheer distance his air blast had knocked the once-mighty android. They had soon cleared the city and Cell finally began to descend a few miles out, in a rugged, grassy area. The nimble android managed to land on both of its feet and Trunks landed just a few feet away on a minuscule rise in the ground. The instant it had its bearings, however, Cell was back to its usual smug self.

"You shouldn't be throwing your life away like this." Cell warned. "No one will know... Just let me leave!"

"There is someone watching, _and_ laughing." Trunks snorted in retort. "A friend of mine that you killed in the past. He's someone I could never let down!"

"Don't worry. You'll be seeing your friend shortly."

"We'll see about that."

Cell smirked. "Yes, we will. You won't be alone. There's a long list! Now, you too will be apart of me! That's right... I'm going to suck you up! Your energy will be refreshing. A nice treat to start off my journey in the time machine!"

Trunks had heard enough. "Enough, you freak!"

Gold embers, like a fierce sunburst, erupted around Trunks and surrounded him in the glorious aura of a Super Saiyan. His once purple-tinted hair rose into a spiky, golden crown above his head. His energy output was now large enough to affect his environment, evidenced by the sudden increase in the wind, which caused the grass around them to sway and the dust below his feet to flee swiftly. Regardless, Cell was unmoved.

"Don't you shush me, you little _punk_!" A similar golden aura flared and surrounded Cell.

"You're overconfident, Cell!"

"There's no reason not to be! I've come across thousands like you!"

That angered Trunks and he raised a defiant fist to show it. "Yes you have, but count me as the last!"

As it would happen, that was the final straw for Cell. Unable to tolerate Trunks' defiance any longer, the large android launched itself at Trunks. The Saiyan was ready for this and met his oncoming opponent blow for blow. The sounds of their colliding fists echoed throughout the nearby hills and the ground began to quake as if in fear of the two clashing titans. Trunks proved himself the better fighter almost immediately, ducking one of Cell's punches and then delivering one of his own. His blow was formidable. The first caught Cell in the chest. The second caught his beak with enough force to send the arrogant android flying.

Cell had little time to recover. Trunks' speed was unbelievable and within moments the young Saiyan was on top of Cell, slamming him towards the ground again. Cell threw a defiant jab at the Saiyan teen, but Trunks anticipated this and disappeared with blinding speed, which left Cell to fall as gravity took hold of it. Before Cell could hit the ground, however, Trunks appeared again and, this time, delivered a bone-shattering kick to the android's back. Cell was forced upwards this time and, the moment he was able to open his eyes, saw Trunks floating ominously above him. Enraged, the android stopped his recoiled flight and thrust out his palm towards the Saiyan, loosing an energy blast that threatened to swallow the youth up. Trunks, however, easily batted the blast to the side.

Upon witnessing this, Cell felt a cold sensation crawl along its spine. It had never experienced helplessness before. The feeling made it scared, then angry. Its desire to kill the boy rose with each passing moment. Trunks didn't wait around for the android to formulate a counter attack, though. The Saiyan youth launched himself at the hovering android and slammed into it with both of his fists. Once again, Cell was plummeting towards the ground where it landed semi-gracefully.

The android was in shock and its eyes were wide. "This isn't possible! He's faster! It doesn't make sense! My design is superior! He's just sitting there daring me to attack!"

All sense of ration in Cell's mind was gone from that moment forward. Angered beyond reasonable thought, the android again launched itself into the air towards its waiting Super Saiyan opponent. Trunks' trap was flawless. The moment Cell was within striking range, he ducked away from the android's strike and then delivered a powerful one of his own. The exchange that followed mirrored the previous one, with Trunks appearing wherever Cell flew only to bat him away again. Cell had never felt so humiliated. With a strong kick, the demi-Saiyan sent Cell hurling into the ground. This time, the android was unable to land on its feet and so it crashed into the hard earth, which sent up dust and debris.

When Trunks landed to observe his handiwork, Cell was beginning to pick itself up out of the crater it had left in the ground. A wine-colored liquid, the monster's blood, was leaking from its beak. Once again, Trunks had to fight the urge to grin in amusement.

"Cell, it's your fault! You hear me? You brought this on yourself by killing innocent people!"

Cell snarled furiously. "Who do you think you _are_?!" the creature spat as it lashed out with its barbed tail in a desperate attempt to absorb its foe.

Trunks easily caught the appendage and began to spin the monster rapidly before hurling it high into the sky. The Saiyan youth was done toying with his opponent. The sooner he killed Cell, the sooner the future world would finally be free of all of Doctor Gero's evil creations. He immediately began to gather his chi for a final attack. Above him, hanging suspended in the air, Cell too was done with this fight.

"Enough of this!" the android roared. "You're gone and here's your going away present!" Cell took up the infamous posture that Trunks had become so familiar with in the past. So the Saiyan youth barely blinked when the evil android began to recite the familiar chant. "Ka... me... ha... me...!"

Trunks was unconcerned with his opponent's blast. He merely raised his palms towards the sky and began to focus the chi he had been channeling into them for his final assault. A sudden burst of light from Trunks' aura blinded Cell and stopped him before he could finish the incantation for his Kamehameha Wave. The energy gathering around Trunks was staggering and was unleashing strong gusts of wind that buffeted the android even from its perch in the sky.

"The nightmare's over, Cell!" Trunks shouted over the crescendo of the wind and gathered energy. "DIE!"

Trunks unleashed his blast, which rose with tremendous speed towards Cell's location. In shock, the android had completely forgotten to finish the incantation for his blast and was soon swallowed up by the rising bulb of Trunks' golden energy attack. Inside Trunks' attack, Cell's body was unable to stay one piece. The blast shredded his exoskeleton and quite literally tore him to shreds as it ascended high into the blue skies above. When the blast had swallowed up ever last cell of the evil android, rendering all hope of regeneration void, it detonated high above the Earth, ending the threat of the Androids once and for all.

Down below, Trunks felt the last of Cell's chi extinguish and allowed his Super Saiyan form to dissipate. The Saiyan youth couldn't help the smile that formed on his face in the moments after Cell's demise. For him and the rest of the people of his future, the long nightmare was indeed finally over. All of Doctor Gero's murderous creations were demolished at Trunks' hands and now the world was free to rebuild and prosper in peace. Trunks silently vowed to always be the defender of that peace.

 _Now, I can finally say that it's really over... thanks to you, Father... and to you, Gohan... and especially to you, Goku! You're the greatest!_

* * *

 _After defeating the nightmarish combination of Doctor Gero's deadly androids and his ultimate creation, Cell, Trunks' life was able to return to some normalcy, as were the lives of the people of Earth._

 _Several years after Cell's final demise at the hands of Trunks, humanity had reclaimed its dominance over the Earth and also returned to the wickedness of their ways. As the sole defender of the planet Earth, Trunks continued his training in the event that humanity's evil got out of control and he was again needed to defend it from darkness. Little did he know that time would come sooner rather than later..._

"Trunks? Trunks, where are you?" Bulma called up the stairs of their family living quarters.

Peace time had been friendly to Bulma and her family, as it had given them an opportunity to completely rebuild and refurbish Capsule Corporation. The complex had formerly been littered with debris and had major structural damage as a result of the Androids' relentless attacks on the Western Capital. Neither she nor Trunks were quite used to seeing their home looking so... normal. Even after all of these years.

Upon hearing his mother's voice, Trunks emerged from his bedroom and walked to the top of the stairs to find his mother looking up at him. Trunks was now a fully-grown adult, twenty years in age, and had inherited his father's rough physique. At his mother's request, he had kept his hair short, though, if he was honest, he preferred it worn long as he did when he fought in the Cell Games. When his mother called out to him, he was preparing to go to the gravity room for an afternoon filled with tough training. Despite his father's insistence on training alone, the young half-Saiyan had picked up several meaningful exercises from the Saiyan prince during their year-in-a-day tenure within the Room of Spirit and Time.

"What is it, Mom?" Trunks asked.

Bulma already had her hands on her hips. "Oh, no! Don't tell me you're going to spend the day training again!"

"Well, I—"

"Save it!" Bulma shouted. "You know Trunks, the world _is_ at peace. You don't have to spend your days training alone in the gravity room. Don't you want to make some friends? Maybe meet a girl?"

Trunks lowered his head. This wasn't the first time he had heard this argument from his mother. At first, Bulma had supported his initiative to continue his training. But, as time passed on and the Androids became a more and more distant memory, she changed her tune. The truth was, he wasn't interested in making normal friends and he _certainly_ wasn't interested in meeting a girl. He _had_ friends. Goku, Piccolo, Tenshinhan, Krillin, Yamcha... Gohan. They were the ones who knew him best. They were the ones that understood him and knew what he'd been through. Still, his mother was insistent that he meet other people.

Trunks sighed and shook his head. "No, Mom. I don't have time for trivial things like that. I'm all this world has left now that Gohan and the others are gone. I can't be caught off-guard and I can't be weak."

There was a glimmer of defiance in Bulma's eyes. It was his mother's strong will that allowed her to marry and tolerate his father, Vegeta, so he knew their conversation wasn't over yet.

"You can't keep living in fear, son." her tone was suddenly softer. "Times have changed."

"Maybe, but evil didn't vanish just because I beat the Androids. And when it rears its head again, it could be _stronger_ than me. If that happens and I die, then there's no one left to protect the people of this world. I can't allow that to happen."

"But—"

"No!" Trunks rarely raised his voice, especially at his mother, but he was just as adamant about his position as she was about her's. Only, _he_ had seen Goku die. _He_ had found Gohan dead. He knew the stakes and they were just too high. "I made a promise to Gohan and Goku that I'd protect this world. I can't go back on that."

Bulma seemed to sense the pointlessness in the argument. Perhaps it was because she knew he was stubborn, or perhaps its was because she didn't want to have a shouting match with the son she loved so much. Whatever the case, Bulma huffed loudly and relented.

"Fine." she said. "Go and train. But _please_ take a break every now and then? It isn't healthy for you to be so lonely all the time."

"Sure, Mom." he said and nodded his head at her dutifully.

"Would you at least like some breakfast before you go out?"

Trunks was visibly stumped. While he was eager to get out and train, he hadn't eaten since the evening before and the mere mention of food was enough to bring out his natural Saiyan hunger. Within seconds, his stomach was grumbling loud enough for Bulma to hear it on the opposite end of the stairs. The blue-haired woman threw her head back and barked with laughter, which caused Trunks to develop a slight blush.

"Yeah..." he replied softly. "I- I guess some breakfast would be nice."

Bulma was still laughing when she said, "Alright, come on down. I'll fix you some eggs."

* * *

It never took Bulma very long to whip up a fantastic meal. The scent of cooked eggs alone was enough to make Trunks' mouth water. He sat patiently at the small, circular dining room table while his mother finished putting together his morning meal. When Bulma finally set his plate down in front of him, even with the eggs still steaming from the skillet they were just in, Trunks attacked them like a ravenous animal. Bulma couldn't help but smile at her son and Trunks liked to think that it was because he was reminding her of Goku or Gohan... or his father.

"You Saiyans..." Bulma said somewhat to herself. "I don't think any amount of food will ever satisfy you."

Trunks had his plate done within moments of it being placed in front of him. Bulma rolled her eyes with a smirk on her face and swept the empty plate off of the table just as Trunks jumped up from his seat and began to head for the door.

"Thanks for the food, Mom!" he said cheerfully.

Bulma just shook her head and dropped the plate into the sink.

Outside, the air was brisk and the sky was clear. The gravity chamber was located at the far end of the Capsule Corp complex. Bulma had originally designed it for Vegeta back when he was alive, but never got the chance to complete it. When Trunks destroyed the Androids, he specifically requested the chamber be part of the renovations and restorations made to Capsule Corp and he was glad he had. He had undergone some brutal training sessions in the chamber, which paid off in the long run. As Trunks crossed the rather wide lawn of his mother's company, his thoughts drifted backwards, as they so-often did, to the terrifying Cell Games:

 _Despite having being utterly crushed by the might of the Cell Juniors, Trunks couldn't help but watch in amazement as Gohan unleashed a devastating assault on the very creatures that he had been unable to touch moments before. Power was radiating off of the child wildly and he had become blindingly fast. Trunks was finding it difficult to keep track of the boy's movements. Not far from him, even Vegeta, his proud father, was left virtually speechless by Gohan's tremendous performance. But when Gohan effortlessly reduced one of the little demons to a cloud of blood mist, the Prince of Saiyans could no longer remain silent._

 _"After all the time we spent trying to kill these things, he does it in one blow!"_

 _Trunks too was astonished. Gohan's movement had been effortless. The most minute portion of his new power had been put into the sideways chop that ended the tiny Cell's life. If the young Saiyan hadn't seen it, he would have never believed Gohan could generate so much power! One-by-one, each member of the Dragon Team rose to express their shock at Gohan's stunning development. Then the Saiyan child began to move again, completely slipped through their senses and appeared in front of the mini-Cells that had cornered Krillin, and thus prompted another remark from Vegeta._

 _"He's so fast...!"_

 _And that's when it dawned on him:_

 _"He did it right!" Trunks proclaimed. "He increased his strength without losing speed!_ "

Recalled from his memories, Trunks shut the door to the gravity chamber behind him. His recollection of Gohan's explosion of strength had lived in the back of his mind since the moment it happened during the Cell Games. He had made it his goal to achieve that power for himself and, if he could help it, go further beyond it. In the years since, Trunks often found himself jealous of Gohan's unnaturally large potential. He had always had tremendous latent strength, as opposed to Trunks, who had to pour his sweat and willpower into ever minuscule increase of strength he had ever achieved. So, a power that took Gohan a fleeting moment of profound rage to achieve took years of tireless training for Trunks. In the end, though, he preferred it that way. Perhaps that was his father's blood coming out in him.

He crossed the room swiftly and began to input the specifications for the day's training session into the main computer. A floating, spherical robot appeared shortly thereafter and, when it did, the gravity in the room increased tremendously. The robot began to fire laser bolts from its central eye and Trunks responded with the dodging exercises he always began with. The robot's attacks were super-heated, enough to severely burn the young Saiyan if they struck him, but were not lethal. Still, Trunks furiously dodged each bolt. When he had first begun using the robot to train, he had been hit many times by its laser bolts and each painful injury was burned into his memory. He _never_ wanted to experience that pain again.

Over the course of the next hour, Trunks completely engrossed himself in his training and sparred not even a single thought to the outside world. The immense strain on his body made him sweat profusely, but he carried on regardless of his own discomfort. When he finally grew bored of that exercise, Trunks increased the speed and accuracy of the robot via the main computer and dialed himself up to Super Saiyan. Over the years, the transformation had become effortless. In his bid to acquire the magnificent power Gohan had displayed during the Cell Games, Trunks had taken a note out of Gohan and Goku's book. He spent a tremendous amount of time in his Super Saiyan form until the transformation felt completely natural to him. He smirked as he recalled how frustrated that had made his mother.

 _If you break **one** more dish in my house, young man, you'll be **sleeping** in that gravity room,_ she had threatened him after one particular incident.

Trunks had been surprised by the power mastering the Super Saiyan had afforded him. He lamented not having thought of such a genius method back when he and his father had trained to take on Cell. The power increase had certainly exceeded the Ascended Saiyan form he and his father had achieved during their year in the Room of Spirit and Time. And once he had achieved that new plateau of power, the power that Gohan had once displayed began to seem less like a pipe dream. He continued to train in this fashion for the remainder of the afternoon.

When he finally emerged from the gravity chamber, drenched in his own sweat, the sky was burnt orange and the sun was beginning to fade over the horizon. He could immediately see that his mother had been kind enough to leave him a towel neatly folded on the concrete steps leading up into the gravity room. He used it to cleanse himself of the sweat that beaded along his tanned skin and then to dry his messy hair. He then tossed the towel over his shoulder and began to trot back towards the house. The cool, evening air felt refreshing after long hours of training. When he reached the door to his home, he was surprised by Bulma who was leaving as he was attempting to enter.

"Oh, hi son!" the blue-haired woman said with a smile.

"Hey, Mom. Heading out?" he said as he took notice of the folded note in her hand.

Bulma nodded. "We need somethings from the store and I need to get there before they close." she explained.

"Don't worry about it." he said and snatched the note from her hand. "Flying is much faster. I'll do it."

"You'd better not be trying to butter me up." Bulma smirked.

Trunks chuckled. "Well, you did say I needed to get out more."

"I don't think a short trip to the store counts, son. But thank you."

Trunks nodded with a smile and then turned back towards the yard. With a burst of chi, followed by a surge of wind, the young Saiyan took to the skies and soared into town.

The Western Capital paled in comparison to its former self. In the distance, Trunks could still make out construction sites dotting the edges of the city. Even years after the Androids' attack on the city, it was still rebuilding infrastructure. In Trunks' mind, it would still be a while yet before the city completely recovered all of its losses. He flew across town and was careful to land in a darkened alleyway, out of the sight of the typical civilian. While flying people certainly bore no surprise to those who had seen what the Androids had been capable of, it still frightened them and so Trunks had become quite conscious of not scaring them. In his mind, they had already been scared enough for one lifetime.

As Trunks exited the alley and began to walk along the sidewalk in the direction of his mother's preferred grocery store, he couldn't help but feel a sudden wave of sadness. It was times like this that he missed Gohan the most. Though his only memories of Gohan were of after the Androids began their reign of terror, his fondest memories were of the older Saiyan. During the day, they would train relentlessly for their eventual confrontation with Doctor Gero's monstrosities. At night, however, they would lay out on the ruined city buildings, or on a ledge out by the sea, and talk about anything and everything. And Gohan had a lot of stories to tell. Trunks loved when Gohan would recount his adventures on Namek and Goku's fight with the ruthless tyrant, Freeza. As a young boy, the story of Goku's triumphant transformation into a Super Saiyan and victory over the impossibly powerful Freeza was what kept Trunks' hope alive that they would destroy the Androids one day.

Above all, though, Trunks missed the companionship. Though hardened by death and conflict, Gohan had been an incredibly bright soul and was a fiercely loyal friend. For a short time, when he was in the past, the young Saiyan had felt this spark of companionship revived when he was among the other members of the Dragon Team. Now that he was home, though, he was completely alone again. Alone without any friends. Alone to defend the entire world in the event that evil reared its head once again. The weight of his loneliness and responsibility made his entire body feel heavier than it ever did in the gravity chamber.

A commotion disturbed the young Saiyan from his thoughts.

The sky had begun to darken as night tightened its grip over the world, the street lamps had come on, and the street was mostly deserted. Ahead a little ways, Trunks could make out several moving shapes. His ability to sense chi, however weak, numbered these figures at exactly six. Six ordinary humans, but their chi was unusually agitated, which made Trunks only mildly interested. Agitated chi usually meant a fight and Trunks was used to those. As he got closer, though, their loud shouts ceased to blend together as much and became distinct voices and words.

Shouts of "faggot", "sissy boy", "bitch", and "punk" made Trunks' ears perk up, but also made him wince at the same time. And when he saw where the voices were coming from and what they were doing, every alarm in his mind began to go off at once.

Five of the people he had both seen and sensed were gathered around a single, more diminutive form. From the looks of them, none of the humans were older than Trunks and, in fact, a few—including the rather scrawny-looking one in the middle—appeared to be slightly younger than the Saiyan. The five stronger members of the group were clearly getting their kicks out of taunting the younger one, all the while beating him like a group of high school thugs. Trunks had seen worse, of course, but something about the sight made his eye twitch and a twinge of heat appear in the very center of his chest.

Suddenly, Android 17's smug grin flashed through his mind and the heat became an inferno.

 _Imagine feeling the way you do now all of the time like the people of this planet do._

The hooligans continued and then it was a flash of Android 18's own sinister smirk that flashed behind his eyes.

 _Fools, how do you think my master, Gohan, felt when you ganged up on him in the rain and he had nowhere to turn?!_

Trunks didn't remember moving. He certainly didn't believe he commanded his legs to move or his chi to flare. Regardless, he found himself suddenly between the beaten young man and his assailants. All five of them, stunned by his sudden arrival, had stopped in their tracks, but they didn't let it stop them entirely.

"You wanna be next, punk!" a tall one, wearing a beanie snarled in a strong accent.

"This'n looks like a sissy too, boys." one of the others snickered.

"It think it's about time you all cleared out of here. Whatever you were doing here... it's done." Trunks said in his most authoritative tone.

The second thug snickered again, which again reminded Trunks of 17 and made his blood heat into a boil. "It's not done 'till we're done with him."

Trunks kept his voice cool and even despite his rising temper. "You think its fun to gang up on someone when they're all alone and frightened, but I'll bet you won't like it when the tables are turned on you."

The first, taller thug raised an eyebrow and smirked. "You're gonna turn the tables on us?" Then he chuckled. "What's your name, punk?"

Trunks raised his palm and used his thumb to swipe his bangs out of his cobalt eyes, which almost seemed to reflected the streetlight looming overhead. As much as he hated the fact that he was involving himself in such an easy fight, he simply couldn't stomach the five guys before him. The more he watched and listened to them, the more horrific flashbacks of the Androids he was getting. And he _had_ to make that stop.

"The name's Trunks and I'm the one that's going to put an end to your sick little game. I hope you enjoy it."

One of the thugs said something smart in retort and then laughed along with the rest of his buddies, but Trunks heard none of it. By the time the five other guys were prepared to put up a fight, it was much too late.

Trunks was already in motion.

* * *

 **A/N: So, hopefully this takes off as a series. Success for me, writing stories, is always kind of hit or miss. I'll either finish them if I really, really like them, or I'll get bored and drop off about half-way. This seems to be one I'm leaning towards finishing and it'll be quite the long one, so we'll see how that goes. Reviews and your thoughts on the chapters are going to be a major driving force behind this story, so if you like it (or you don't), or you just want to talk about a chapter, do so in the reviews. I don't bite and I love hearing it. Obviously, this is a story about Future Trunks and will cover the Majin Buu arc, the events of Dragon Ball Z: Battle of the Gods, and Dragon Ball Z: Revival of F. There's gonna be a lot of content and a lot of new spins to those familiar settings. My only advice is, if you're speculating on what might happen, you're probably going to be wrong, because I'm going to ignore the usual conventions that come along with a Future Trunks story set in the Buu arc (e.g., reviving the old Z Fighters via the Dragon Balls) and do my own thing. You might see an OC or two in this story as well.**

 **All in all, I hope this was a good starting chapter and I hope it was one that sets the scene pretty well for the story. It starts a little before the Buu arc begins, but we'll get there presently, so be patient as always! And leave your thoughts in the reviews portion. Every now and then, if the reviews are plentiful or good, I'll answer a few of them in the ending author's note, so there's some more incentive to put in your two cents. And I'll try to keep this story on a regular release schedule, but seeing as I have two jobs, school, and games I like to play, please do give me at least a week or so between releases (though some may be quicker if I feel productive).**

 **Thanks for reading this obnoxiously long note and see ya next chapter!**


	2. A Call to Action

"Are you alright?"

Trunks had been so wrapped up in his own anger and horrific flashbacks that he had barely paid any attention to the young man he had just rescued. A few feet away from them, the five men that had ganged up on and beaten the younger one were sprawled out unconscious on the sidewalk. Oh sure, they had tried to put up a fight, but Trunks was worlds above them as a martial artist. Not even a single one of them had laid a finger on the demi-Saiyan, but he had left an impression on them—one he hoped they wouldn't soon forget. The young man he had saved sat on the concrete before him, wide-eyed and clearly frightened. Trunks had extended a hand towards him to help him up, but so far he hadn't budged an inch.

"It's alright." Trunks said with a weak smile. "I'm not going to hurt you."

The young man stared at the lavender-haired Saiyan for several long moments, then nodded slowly and took his hand. Trunks had little issue hoisting him up off of the ground, but when he winced hard, Trunks knew that he was more injured than he had initially believed.

"You should probably get those wounds checked out by a doctor." the demi-Saiyan suggested.

"All the clinics are closed." the youth replied.

Trunks huffed. He should have known that. It was already dark and the clinics in the Western Capital usually closed shortly after nightfall. There was the city hospital, but it was quite a distance away and Trunks didn't think flying would be an option for the young man. Then he considered his mother. Bulma had nursed more than one of his injuries back during his numerous conflicts with the Androids and had even cared for Gohan after he lost his arm. As much as Trunks didn't want to bring a stranger home, he didn't see much of an option.

"Don't worry about it." Trunks said. "My mom is pretty good with this type of thing. My place is close, so it won't be too big a deal."

The youth looked taken aback. In fact, he even appeared to be somewhat weary of Trunks' offer and, given the ordeal he had just been through. Trunks didn't blame him at all. An awkward moment of silence passed between them, but finally the younger man relented with a curt nod.

"Uh.. great!" Trunks feigned a smile again. "It's this way." The Saiyan youth used his thumb to gesture over his shoulder in the direction of Capsule Corporation.

The other youth again nodded silently.

Trunks sensed his reluctant companion's hesitation and decided that he had better lead the way. He didn't bother cleaning up after the thugs he left unconscious in the street. They would come to eventually. The two young men stepped carefully over the mangled mess and began to start down the street. Occasionally, Trunks would glance back over his shoulder at the younger man to ensure he was alright. He was considerably thinner than Trunks was, with brown hair around the same length as the demi-Saiyan's, and a pair of sharp, silvery eyes that seemed to glimmer in the moonlight. His pale skin was marred with several cuts and bruises from the earlier scuffle, though some were worse than others. Every now and again, the younger man would wince in pain and Trunks found himself lamenting his lack of foresight. He now wished he had brought some senzu beans back from the past when he last visited. They would have worked miracles in a situation like this.

"So," Trunks broke the silence. "You got a name?"

The demi-Saiyan asked more out of a need to fill the awkward silence than out of genuine interest. Then again, it would probably look better to his mother when they arrived if he knew the stranger's name.

"Mark." the youth's reply came, soft and timid.

Trunks nodded and said no more. As much as he hated the stale silence, he could feel Mark pushing back against his attempts to make conversation. In any event, they were nearing Capsule Corporation. Trunks could already see the dome-shaped buildings in the distance. They needed only to cross a few more blocks and they would reach their destination.

"How did you do that?"

The words stopped Trunks dead in his tracks. He had already accepted that Mark was staying distant from him for a reason, so when the younger man spoke up it completely blind-sighted him.

"Do what?" Trunks asked as he turned to face him.

Mark immediately adverted his gaze, looking towards the sidewalk, and when he spoke, his voice was barely audible. "Take care of those guys like that."

It took Trunks only a moment to piece together what Mark was really asking him. He suppressed a chuckle. The truth was, he had barely put any effort at all into defeat the thugs that had ganged up on the younger man. Foes like them were toddlers compared the the Androids and Cell. Still, he supposed no one knew that it was really _he_ who vanquished Earth's greatest threat. So, with that in mind, Trunks lied.

"I'm somewhat of a martial artist." the demi-Saiyan explained as he scratched his chin. He really was a terrible liar and hoped Mark wouldn't notice. "You know... karate, taekwondo, that sort of thing..."

Mark nodded. If the younger man had thought he was lying, then he was certainly doing a superb job of not showing it. However, the youth had unwittingly opened the door for further conversation and Trunks was actually beginning to become curious.

"Why were those guys after you?" he asked.

Mark kept his gaze on the ground, but managed a shrug. "Didn't like me, I guess." he mumbled.

An idea fluttered into Trunks' mind, but he snuffed it out of existence the second it occurred to him. The truth was, he wasn't ready to take on a pupil. Certainly not one that was so walled up and withdrawn. So, Trunks let the conversation drop and the two of them returned to the more pressing matter: their journey to Capsule Corporation. The two men made the rest of their journey in complete silence. Trunks' head was swimming in conflict after his earlier thought, despite repeated attempts to shrug it off. Mark, on the other hand, never seemed to take his eyes off of the sidewalk. It was enough to make Trunks both annoyed and sympathetic. He knew what it was like to feel completely alone in a fight where the odds were seemingly stacked against him. He thought, perhaps, that was what Mark was feeling.

They arrived at Capsule Corporation shortly after the moon reached its full height in the sky. As Trunks turned to walk up the long, marble pathway to his front door, it was Mark's turn to be stopped in his tracks. The demi-Saiyan glanced back to see what the hold up was, only to be met with a slightly skeptical expression from his younger, silent companion.

"You live _here_?" Mark asked in disbelief.

Trunks scratched the back of his head and nodded. "Yeah. My mom is Bulma, the current president of Capsule Corporation."

Mark blinked a few times. Trunks couldn't tell whether the younger man believed him or not.

"You should come in." Trunks continued. "My mom will have you patched up in no time."

Mark looked reluctant at first, but with a little prodding, Trunks managed to get him to come inside. What Trunks didn't consider was how long he had been gone. Bulma must have seen him from the window, because as they approached the house, the blue-haired woman burst into the lawn and shouted as she did.

"Trunks?! Is that you?" Bulma shrieked. "Where have you been?!"

Trunks felt his cheeks heat up. His mother was _always_ overreacting. "It's me, Mom. There was... a bit of a complication in town. Sorry, I didn't get the chance to pick up that list you wanted."

Bulma's hands immediately went to her hip and she looked him up and down, then adverted her gaze to Mark, who was timidly standing behind him. Even in the dim glow of the porch light, Bulma could see some of the abrasions on Mark's pale skin and, coupled with the grave look on Trunks' face, she quickly got the picture. She gestured over her shoulder, towards the door, with her thumb.

"Come on in." she said. "I'll get the full story there."

* * *

Bulma spent the better part of an hour examining Mark, during which time Trunks explained his eventful evening to her. Bulma was completely engrossed in her work and so she only offered him the occasional nod to let him know she was still listening. When he was done, he huffed and slumped back into his chair in the corner of the room. Bulma instructed Mark to remove his shirt, so that she could see the injuries underneath. Mark cast a weary eye in Trunks' direction, then sighed and did as he was instructed. Trunks and Bulma both winced at what they saw there. The younger man's body was a variety of colors, and very little of it was the pasty color of his pale skin. He was adorned with abrasions and bruises; some were worse than others. Bulma leaned back in her chair and massaged her temples, something Trunks had seen frequently whenever the woman was stressed.

"Well, you certainly took a beating." she mumbled. "But this isn't just a random attack. Whoever did this to you really wanted to harm you. Did you know them?"

Mark looked away and was silent.

"Listen," Bulma tried again, and this time her voice was softer. "We just want to help yo—"

"You can't." Mark snapped.

"Why not?" This time, it was Trunks that spoke up.

"You just can't." Mark mumbled and looked away again.

Trunks looked to Bulma for support, but the woman wasn't looking back at him. His mother's thoughtful gaze was instead directed at the ground and it was clear that she was deep in thought. Mark took the opportunity to pick his shirt up off of the tile flooring and slip it back on. Trunks could tell from the look on his face that he was getting ready to leave. Bulma, snapped from her daze, noticed this as well and stopped him before he could march out of the room.

"Wait." she said firmly. "You can't just go back out there. Those are some serious injuries that are going to take time to heal."

"I'll be fine." Mark muttered.

"At least let us call your family. They must be sick with worry. They can look after you until you're healed."

Mark's shoulders seemed to tense at the word "family" and the rest of his body soon followed.

"I don't have a family." he replied, and this time Trunks was certain he heard the younger man's voice crack.

"Don't have a—?" Bulma's eyes widened when she realized the answer to her own question.

"The Androids." Mark said plainly. "They died when the Androids first attacked the city. It's just me now."

A flood of emotions rushed through Trunks before he could even fully process Mark's statement. Anger, remorse, tremendous sadness, and loneliness all slammed into him at once and the demi-Saiyan suddenly found himself fighting to keep the tears from forming in his blue eyes. Trunks had never considered that the Androids might be partially responsible for Mark's odd behavior, but now it was all beginning to make sense. Unable to fight his emotion any longer, Trunks stood suddenly, which knocked his chair back against the wall rather violently. Startled, Mark retreated back into the room as Trunks, fists balled, marched by him and started towards his bedroom. Bulma called after him, but Trunks wouldn't stop. He refused to let his mother and the stranger Mark see his tears.

As he made his way up the darkened staircase, towards his bedroom, he was again confronted by the memories of Gohan laying dead in a puddle all those years ago. He remembered the Cell Games and the way Goku had so casually given his life in defense of his friends. And all of it— _all_ of it—was the fault of that madman, Doctor Gero, and his horrible androids. Trunks slammed his door to his room behind him and practically fell into bed. There, he curled into a ball and allowed himself to sob into the sheets. He lamented the loss of his loved ones and his inability to call upon the Dragon Balls to restore the world as was done after the Cell Games in the past. He mentally chided himself for not defeating the Androids sooner in order to prevent more people from suffering at their hands like Mark was now. He cried and cried, for how long he did not know, until a soft knock came from his door.

Trunks dried his tears with his own sheets and offered a weak, "Come in."

Bulma entered the room and shut the door back behind her. She looked drained of strength, but also sympathetic to her son's pain. She said nothing as she crossed the room and sat at the end of his bed. Then she turned and gazed knowingly at him.

"He's agreed to stay here for the night." Bulma said. "I put him up in one of the guest rooms. We can take him to the hospital tomorrow to get him properly looked at."

Trunks nodded. "That's good."

"You want to tell me what's really bothering you?"

Trunks winced. If there was a person who ever knew him better than even Gohan, it was his mother. He felt fresh tears begin to build behind his eyes and was quick to turn away from Bulma, for fear that she might notice his moment of weakness. A foolish attempt, which his mother punctuated by offering a brief chuckle.

"No matter how old you get," she reminded him. "You never have to worry about crying in front of me." Then she nudged him. "I'm not as strict as your father."

Trunks had to laugh at that one and, as he did, the few tears which had built at his eyes fell free.

"It isn't your fault, you know?" Bulma continued. "What happened with the Androids... You and Gohan gave it everything you had to liberate the planet from their reign of terror. And, need I remind you? _You_ did it."

"Yes, but I was much too late." Trunks argued. "Too many lives were destroyed... and the Dragon Balls are gone, so I can't reverse the damage they did." He clenched his fists tightly in his lap. "And grandpa hasn't come back, which means he probably died out there in space looking for New Namek. Before I left... I should've asked Goku where they were, but I didn't."

Bulma looked solemn at those words. Doctor Briefs, her father, had gone into space years ago to locate the new home of the Namekians. He had never returned, and though Bulma never admitted it to herself, she knew what that meant.

"You can choose to look at it that way." she said after a moment. "Or, you can look at it from the angle that you stopped the Androids before they could do any _more_ harm. Pain and suffering have always been a part of this world, son. No amount of wishes on the Dragon Balls would ever fix that. It's just... more apparent now, with everything that's happened."

Trunks never took for granted his mother's wisdom. She was, of course, right, though he tried not to see it that way. He _wanted_ her to tell him that everything would be okay. That they would one day find a method to get the Dragon Balls back and undo all of the terrible things that had happened to themselves and the world around them. But Bulma never lied to him and the words she spoke were the truth. There was no going back, only moving forward.

Bulma leaned over and patted his knee affectionately. "Get some rest. This Mark person is going to need a _lot_ of help tomorrow. And, like I said earlier, it wouldn't kill you to make some friends."

Trunks frowned, but Bulma winked and then she left him alone in his room.

Alone with his thoughts.

* * *

Bulma and Trunks took Mark to Wukong Hospital, the main medical facility in the Western Capital, the very next morning. Mark was his usual quiet self, but Trunks had come to the decision that he was going to take his mother's advice and actually try for once. The doctors were just as surprised as Trunks and Bulma had been when they saw the extent of Mark's injuries. Nevertheless, after getting the full story from Trunks, they set to work on patching up Mark's battered body. Since the young man had no family, both Trunks and Bulma agreed to stay and support Mark throughout the day.

It was lunch time when the doctors finally provided the three of them with a hospital room for Mark to recuperate in and Bulma and Trunks to visit him in. The brown-haired youth was bandaged all over, but he looked somewhat better than he had when Trunks had come across him on the streets the night before. As soon as they were in the room, and the door was shut behind them, Mark surprised them both by speaking.

"Thank you." he muttered softly.

Trunks blinked rapidly, leaving Bulma to save the day.

"You're welcome, sweety." she said with a warm smile. "We aren't the type of people who turn our backs on those in need. Right, son?"

Bulma threw Trunks a rather devious smirk, and Trunks wished they didn't have company so he could give her a dirty look in response. With a slight sigh, he nodded in agreement with her.

"Yeah," he said. "That's right."

Mark wasted little time focusing all of his attention on Trunks. The lavender-haired demi-Saiyan was taken slightly aback by the sudden determination in the younger man's silvery eyes. Even Bulma seemed to sense the sudden shift in the mood in the room.

"Can you teach me?"

Was Trunks not so distracted by Mark's sudden change in demeanor, he might have been able to piece together what he was being asked. Instead, though, he could only respond by stuttering.

"Teach you what?" Trunks asked, dumbfounded.

"Can you teach me to do what you did?" Mark asked again. "Last night, I mean."

Realization hit Trunks like a freight train. Mark must have had the same thought that Trunks had the night before and now he was asking him to be trained as a martial artist. Bulma seemed to catch on too and smirked at her son once again. Trunks felt his eyebrow twitch when he realized what she must be thinking as well; if he trained Mark, they would obviously spend time together and, thus, he would end up making friends, just as his mother intended. If he wasn't any wiser, the demi-Saiyan might have thought that the two of them had planned this together to bring Trunks out of his shell.

"Well?" Mark asked, which snapped Trunks from his daze.

"It won't be easy." Trunks said truthfully. "We'll have to start from the bottom and work our way up. There's a lot more to martial arts than just flashy moves."

The determined glint in Mark's eyes never wavered. "I'm prepared to do whatever it takes."

Trunks could tell that Mark was being honest with him. The determination in his eyes and voice were apparent and there was no need for him to explain his reasoning. To a warrior like Trunks, it was blatantly obvious. After all, it was the same reason Trunks had begged Gohan to train _him_. The need to turn the odds in one's favor, especially in an impossible predicament, was powerful. Trunks had felt powerless at the hands of the Androids, and while he knew Mark must have too, he also knew that Mark was thinking about what happened last night.

He then noticed his mother watching him closely from her corner of the room. Gone was her smirk from earlier. She seemed genuinely curious as to what his answer would be, but by then, Trunks had already made up his mind. Though still unsure of his credentials as a mentor, Trunks nodded and gave his first genuine smile since meeting Mark.

"Well," he said. "I can't exactly say no to that. I'll train you, but on one condition."

Mark raised an eyebrow at him.

"You have to stay at Capsule Corp with mom and me. I won't have my first pupil living out on the streets."

Slightly surprised, Mark turned from Trunks to look at Bulma for approval. Bulma, a proud smile on her face, gave that approval with an agreeing nod and, for the first time, Mark allowed a bit of emotion to show through his stone wall of defenses. A brief glimmer of tears appeared in his eyes, but he wiped them away before they could fall.

"We'll start as soon as you get better." Trunks declared. "So heal and rest up. You've got a long road ahead of you."

* * *

It was late evening and Trunks was standing outside of Mark's hospital room, hands stuffed in his pocket, waiting for his mother. The doctors had asked to keep Mark overnight, simply to keep an eye on him, so Trunks was preparing to take Bulma home for the night. They both would be back up in the morning to retrieve their newest companion. The door to the room opened and Bulma stuck her head out into the hall.

"Come in, Trunks. You might want to see this." she said.

Trunks' brow creased with confusion, but he obeyed regardless. The setting sun's hazy, burnt glow was bleeding through the windows and gave the room an orange glow. Mark was fast asleep in his hospital bed. Trunks speculated that it had been quite some time since the boy had a decent rest. He then saw what was really drawing his mother's attention. The television was on, hanging above the end of the hospital bed, and on it, a reporter was interviewing a blonde man in a sharp-looking suit and shades.

"That's right!" the blonde man was saying. "One month from now, on May the seventh, the World Martial Arts Tournament will be revived on Papaya Island! All martial artists are invited to sign-up and compete, and all spectators are welcome! This will be the biggest and best tournament yet, I assure you!"

"World... Martial Arts... Tournament?" Trunks repeated in disbelief.

"Boy, does that bring back memories." Bulma said with a smile on her face. "Back when I was younger, Goku competed in the tournament. He even won it once!"

Trunks barely heard her, though. He was again swimming in the sea of his memories, back to the day Cell achieved his Perfect Form and announced the Cell Games:

 _"Long before we ever existed, there was a competition on this planet called the World Martial Arts Tournament."_ Cell had said at that time.

"Well?" Bulma said, which drove away the memories. "You should enter."

"Me?" Trunks blinked.

"Well, why not? You and Mark are already going to be training together. This will give you both a goal to work towards."

Trunks blinked again and weighed his options. Once again, his mother was right. The tournament would serve as a nice goal. Furthermore, Trunks was curious about the tournament in which Goku had competed and which Cell had painstakingly revived when he started the Cell Games in the past. Even so, he was hesitant, though he wasn't quite sure why. He looked down at Mark, who was still asleep despite their conversation. A tournament might be good for his self-esteem, Trunks thought. Yes, perhaps it wasn't such a bad idea after all. He shook his mind of all doubtful thoughts, shrugged, then smiled at his mother.

"Sure," he said. "Why not."

" _I'll go too!_ " a sudden disembodied voice burst into their minds.

Both Trunks and Bulma looked at each other in astonishment.

"That voice—" Trunks gasped.

"It couldn't be—" Bulma exclaimed.

In unison, they shouted: "Gohan?!"

Gohan's voice chuckled within their minds. " _Yeah, it's me. Long time no see, you guys!_ "

"Gohan?" Trunks' eyes were watering now. "Is it really you?"

" _Sure is._ "

"A-a-and... you can really come to the tournament? How?!"

" _Yeah, as it happens, sacrificing myself to protect the world from the Androids has really scored me some points up here. I get one day, so I figured the tournament would be the best opportunity to see you all again! And since my pupil is taking_ his _pupil, what better opportunity is there?_ "

Trunks was forced to wipe his eyes. "That's incredible! It'll be so good to see you again, Gohan."

"Yes," Bulma agreed. "We've missed you terribly."

" _And I've missed the both of you. We'll catch up at the tournament, so make sure to train your hardest, Trunks. I wanna see what you're capable of now! Well, I guess I'll see you both later!"_

And just like that, Gohan's voice was gone.

To say that Trunks was elated would have been a severe understatement. Not since he vanquished Cell had he felt so accomplished and happy. He also felt motivated, a feeling that had long since abandoned him. Bulma's eyes seemed to light up just seeing her son in such a happy trance. Trunks once again fixated his gaze on Mark, who had managed to sleep through the sizable commotion.

 _You'd better get well soon, Mark._ Trunks thought to himself. _The moment you're able, we're beginning our training. I hope you're ready._

* * *

 **A/N: And there's chapter two. It's slightly shorter than the first, but I'm actually quite proud of this chapter. In keeping with the theme set by Gohan in the present timeline, who had friends named after school supplies (Erasa, Videl, Sharpner, etc.), I've named Mark after a marker :P The tournament has been announced and, as you can already see, events have taken a slightly different turn than they did in the past timeline — with Gohan coming back rather than Goku. The first in a series of twists that will hopefully keep you all guessing an entertained as we approach familiar story ground. The training for the tournament starts with chapter three! What challenges shall face Trunks in training? All that and more next time! Review, Subscribe, Favorite, and let me know what you guys are thinking!**

 **Until next time!**


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